


Shall I Stay?

by kandreil



Category: All For the Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: M/M, Multi, Polyamory, Slow Burn, aka none of them know what to do with their messy love triangle, lot's of pining, maybe some minor ooc moments ahaha, the truth is they all really love each other ?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-03
Updated: 2016-05-03
Packaged: 2018-06-06 04:15:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6737863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kandreil/pseuds/kandreil
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Neil Josten has had his share of terrible ideas in his lifetime, but perhaps his worst was a road trip with Kevin Day and Andrew Minyard. (Basically the trio go on a road trip to visit the teams interested in drafting Kevin, but each of them learn what’s holding them back from pursuing their futures as professional Exy players)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so this started off as a drabble and turned into a potential chaptered fic. I guess I’ll play it by ear and see if it gets any positive feedback before I commit to two or three more chapters. There’s no Kandreil (yet) but it would definitely start to develop if I end up writing more. 
> 
> Furthermore, I apologize for any inaccuracies. Keep in mind this is an AU so all of the trio will be drafted around the same time (because that makes everything more interesting). Obviously, I needed to get creative and come up with my own professional teams so I apologize to Nora in advance for altering that a bit! (In my defense, this is an AU anyways). So enjoy, I hope this is alright ??

Neil Josten has had his share of terrible ideas in his lifetime, but perhaps his worst was a road trip with Kevin Day and Andrew Minyard. It all began one humid afternoon during finals week. All three of the boys were the last of the foxes to take their exams and they didn’t seem to mind. The air conditioning was on full blast but wasn’t doing much damage as the trio attempted to study.

Auburn hair stuck to Neil’s sweaty forehead, his t-shirt glued to his chest like a second skin. He had read the same sentence in his text book about three times before shutting it all together and tossing it aside. This stirred Kevin from his own daze, but Neil guessed they were equally burned out.

“So. I hear it’s time for you to start looking at pro teams. Start talking with coaches and players and visiting facilities. When do you plan to do that?” Neil quipped, although it was clear that there was an ulterior motive behind his question.

“I don’t know. I was going to play it by ear. Why?”

This caused a scoff from Andrew, who was nestled on the couch across from the two. They weren’t even aware he was listening, but it was naive to assume he wasn’t. Andrew sat up from his lounge position to explain himself.

“Isn’t it obvious? He’s plotting.”

Neil shrugs his bony shoulders, peeling his shirt from his skin to fan himself.

“It was curiosity, I’m not sure why you always expect the worst from me, Andrew.” He says, although every word is dripping with his usual lazy smug tone. This of course leads to Andrew narrowing his eyes.

“What did I tell you about lying to me?”

“Should I leave the room during this lover’s spat?” Kevin remarked, which lead to simultaneous glares from Neil and Andrew.

“Fine. I was going to suggest that the three of us take a road trip. I mean it’s not like Aaron and Nicky would object. Aaron will be with Katelyn all month at her parent’s beach house. Nicky’s going to Germany. It would be just the three of us anyways. Why not take a road trip and look at the teams that are gunning after Kevin.” Neil suggests. Andrew’s usual blank stare is replaced by one of repulse, but it quickly fades. Kevin sits on the idea for a moment before inserting his two cents.

“That is definitely the stupidest thing you’ve ever said.”

Neil chucks a highlighter at Kevin’s head but he swiftly dodges.

“I apologize for wanting to have fun with you two this summer. Won’t happen again.” Neil grumbles, he picks up his textbook and returns to his last chapter. Andrew must have picked up on his pity party because suddenly he’s standing in front of Neil.

“Get up.” Andrew commands, his voice is monotone but his eyes lack their usual distance. Neil does as he’s told, setting his book aside yet again. When they’re this close, he can see a clear line of perspiration on Andrew’s forehead. At least he isn’t suffering alone.

“Kevin. Up.” Andrew calls to the other boy. The boy proceeds to groan dramatically, but he lumbers over anyhow.

“You really want to go on this trip, Neil?” Andrew asked.

Neil simply nods, digging a little deeper for a moment to realize this was more for himself than it was for Kevin. He had spent a good portion of his life in a car but most of those times lacked positive memories. Maybe this was the kind of closure he needed. Kevin looked less than thrilled but he eventually let out an exasperated sigh. That was as close to an agreement as you would get from Kevin Day.

“San Diego, Atlanta, Miami, Tampa. Those are the teams that have shown interest. Denver is also in play but they’re the fifth pick in the draft. It’s unlikely unless there’s a trade. So we shouldn’t bother.”

Andrew was bored with Exy talk already, he had wandered back to his spot on the couch. This left Neil and Kevin to work out the details of their trip. The truth was, San Diego was out of the question if they were going to take Andrew’s car. So Kevin stepped out of the room for a moment to call the general manager from San Diego to see if they could get a free flight to California. As soon as he left, Neil could hear Andrew shift behind him.

“You’re encouraging his obsession. The season is over, we should be introducing him to other hobbies or maybe sleep.”

Neil spun around on his heel, face to face with the stocky blond boy. “I can hardly picture Kevin Day gardening tulips or taking up pottery. Besides you and I both know his obsession doesn’t simmer down when the season ends.” 

There’s a long pause because they both know Neil’s right. Ever since the season ended, Kevin’s anxiety and focus has shifted to his future in Exy. The draft would commence in two months exactly. While neither Neil, nor Andrew wanted to picture Kevin leaving, they did their best to remain neutral on the subject. 

“Yes or no?”

“Yes.”

Their mouths met for the briefest of moments. This wasn’t a kiss of passion or fervor, but one of reassurance. They would never admit it, but the absence of Kevin was not an easy pill to swallow. This silent agreement of theirs worked in everyone’s favor for the most part. They finally part ways, but Andrew steps closer to press a delicate kiss to Neil’s exposed collarbone. Maybe it was a sympathetic kiss, one that was implying he was in an equal amount of pain. Neil refused to read into this any further.

Andrew sulks back to the couch, but he picks his books up and heads to the bedroom instead. 

“Take a shower you smell awful.” He calls back to Neil. The auburn haired boy simply rolls his eyes, preparing to do the same. He stops, however, as Kevin reenters the room, tucking his phone in his back pocket. 

“San Diego said they’ll fly us out. All of us.”

“I can smell their desperation from here.” Neil hums, which causes a scoff from his teammate. 

“It isn’t necessary. If the mock drafts are correct, I’ll be in San Diego even if I took a piss on the court and bombed my evaluation. They’ve got the first pick.”

Kevin enters the bedroom, and Neil feels his stomach drop. San Diego is too far away. This response doesn’t leave his mouth, instead follows Kevin into the bedroom and shuts the door behind him. Suddenly a shower is appealing.

Andrew is the last one to take his exam, so Kevin and Neil spend this time packing up the Maserati for their road trip. Atlanta is first on their itinerary, and from what Kevin’s told Neil, they’re draft choices never seem to pan out.

“Atlanta is where Exy careers go to die.”

“Morbid. Are you sure they aren’t just picking over-hyped underachievers?” Neil asks as he attempts to hoist a cooler full of waters into the trunk. Kevin eventually drops the duffel bag he was holding to assist Neil.

“Not always, but that has been the case before. They just have poor management, they fire coaches after a shitty season, their defenders are towards the end of their careers so most of them can’t protect the goal. Atlanta is constantly searching for a star striker but you can’t draft a new striker every year and then wonder why you’ve worn them down. Poor defense can really impact your team in the pros.”

Neil nods along, and he’s slightly thankful that this team won’t get their hands on Kevin Day. While he was talented, his years would be wasted with a team so destructive. They made the Foxes, pre-Kevin, look like a well oiled machine. 

“So why would you visit?”

Kevin stops to think on this for a moment, sinking onto the ledge of the trunk. “Because flukes happen. Trades happen. I want to know what I’d be getting myself into if, for some reason, I ended up with Atlanta. I need to get a better analysis of their system from the inside.”

“You fixed our team, I’m sure you could fix Atlanta.”

Kevin smiles. It isn’t cocky or even vindictive. It’s more of a grimace, if anything. He wouldn’t admit it, but this was something beyond his repair. 

“They have a beautiful stadium, you know. One of the largest in the country. Maybe they’ll let you practice with me.” Kevin responds, clearly avoiding their original subject all together. Neil shrugs and loads his own duffel in the back. The same duffel that carried his entire life in it, at one point. Now it barely fit his wardrobe. 

“Like they’d bother with a late round pick like myself.”

“I knew you were reading the mock drafts.”

Neil chuckles, but it’s humorless. “I’m not completely apathetic about my future.”

“We could visit the teams who have shown interest in you. Dallas and Boston have probably contacted you by now. We could visit San Francisco while we’re in California.” 

Neil loads Kevin’s Exy gear, wishing the subject wasn’t brought up to begin with. He was a fox. He finally found himself in a stable environment (which felt like an oxymoron, Palmetto State was barely stable) and the years had flown by so swiftly. Now Andrew, Kevin, and Neil faced the draft and possibly separate teams. It was a tough pill to swallow, so he avoided the thought of separation and adjustment all together.

“San Francisco could be nice. The Golden Gate Bridge is overrated but we could still check it out.”

“San Francisco is also the reigning national champion.” Kevin added, desperately trying to redirect the conversation to Exy and Neil’s future. The effort was greatly overlooked. Neil nudges Kevin to move so he could shut the trunk. Kevin stands but closes the trunk himself, invading Neil’s personal space.

“What’s gotten into you? Three months ago you wouldn’t shut up about where you might play. Now I can barely get you to mention the draft. Don’t you care about your future, Neil? I didn’t spend my goddamn time teaching you drills so you could sit on your ass and watch Andrew and I play Exy on TV. You better call San Francisco and tell them you’re visiting because whether you like it or not, I’m dragging your sorry ass to their court. Do you understand?” Kevin hissed, inches from Neil’s face. 

Before Neil could respond with something snarky, he felt another presence. 

“I hope we don’t have a problem here, Kevin.”

Andrew has dropped his school supplies at the curb, his fingers curled into a fist. Neither of the boys respond to the blond. Instead Kevin steps away and shoots Andrew a dark look. 

“Tell your boyfriend to change his attitude about his future.” With that, Kevin slips into the passenger seat with the slam of the door. Andrew and Neil’s eyes lock for a brief second. Andrew’s brows are raised but he doesn’t ask. Instead he abandons his backpack and textbook all together and hops into the driver’s seat. 

With a deep breath, Neil joins his teammates in the SUV. The silent car ride isn’t a problem for any of the trio. Kevin falls asleep within the first twenty minutes, Andrew is his usual stoic self, and Neil uses this time to consider Kevin’s scoldings.

As usual, Kevin’s correct. About all of it. By avoiding these teams, he’s wasting his potential. All the work that Kevin put into him, that Wymack put into him, even Dan’s efforts to improve his confidence as a leader, all of this would be for nothing. Neil wasn’t sure what surprised him more, the way Kevin sounded like his father, Coach Wymack, or the fact that he yelled out of genuine concern for Neil. 

Sure they were close, but this was deeper than a bond of teammates. This was a lecture that came from someone who cared.

When they pulled into a gas station over an hour later, Neil took a cigarette from Andrew and went to sit outside of the 24 hour connivence store a couple of feet away. He lit the cigarette and tugged his phone from his back pocket. Going through his missed call list, he scrolled to the number under the San Francisco area code and pressed enter. 

The phone to his ear, Neil listened to the dial tone before the other end finally picked up. “Neil Josten. I didn’t expect to hear from you. Not this late, at least.”

Neil laughs politely, rubbing at his forehead with the back of his free hand. “Sorry, I should have waited to call tomorrow.”

“No no, please don’t apologize. It’s great to hear from you, we’re very impressed by your season with the Foxes this year.”

The smile on Neil’s lips is weak but his stomach flips nonetheless. He never thought in a million years a team like San Francisco would be watching him. They were the cream of the crop, repeat champions, and consistent performers. Each draft pick was meticulous, there was a strategy and a four year plan behind each player’s development. 

“Well sir, I was impressed by your team this year. I haven’t seen a blowout championship like that since I was young, in Seattle’s hayday.” 

The man on the other end laughed heartily, and Neil flinched. It wasn’t a malicious laugh by any means, but he wasn’t familiar enough with this man to trust him.

“Call me Coach Freeland, please. Thank you, though. They were a talented bunch of guys, I agree. But I’m sure you heard Lucas Page has officially retired.” 

Neil put his cigarette out, thinking back to his childhood when Lucas Page was his hero and idol. An Exy player from a small school, much like Palmetto, and a late draft pick that no one expected to thrive. He was now hall of fame bound and riding off into the sunset with his championship win. Lucas Page, lead striker for San Francisco for eighteen seasons, was throwing in the towel. This left a serious hole in their lineup. Neil must have paused for too long because Freeland was clearing his throat.

“So what’s on your mind? To what do I owe the pleasure of this phone call?”

Neil’s mouth was suddenly dry, his palms clammy and the weight of his phone felt as if it was increasing.

“Kevin Day is going to look at the San Diego facility. We figure since we’ll be in the area, more or less, we could come look the San Francisco court. H-how would you feel about that?”

There was a slight pause in Freeland’s pause. Neil was about to hang up when the coach finally found his response.

“Neil, we’ve been trying to contact you for the past month because we know for a fact you would grow and improve as a player if you joined our lineup. For formality reasons, we need you to come work out with us so we can evaluate you within our facility. Of course you can come visit San Francisco.”

Neil choked on a laugh, in utter disbelief that the top team in the league was gunning for him.

“I like the way you play, I like your intensity. You remind me of a young Lucas Page, and I firmly believe we could build a team around you. I don’t say that to everyone, you have to understand. When should we expect you?”

“End of the month. I’ll be in San Diego for a week with Kevin but we can drive to San Francisco for a few days.”

Freeland paused for another moment, perhaps he was pulling up a calendar or jotting this information down.

“I need you for three days at the very least. The first day will be for introductions, the second for weight training, the third for evaluations on the court. Could you make that work?”

Neil went over Kevin’s itinerary in his mind, gnawing on the inside of his cheek. “How about the 27th through the 29th?”

“Perfect. We’ll alert the team. Seriously Neil, thanks for calling me back. I was starting to wonder if we would have to look into other options.”

“No Coach, I think I’m your striker.”

Freeland laughs again, not expecting that kind of a statement from a player, most likely. “I knew I liked you for a reason. We’ll see you on the 27th. Bring that confidence with you and I know you’ll secure your spot with us.” 

With that, their call ended, and Neil was left with an array of emotions. Before he could address any of them, he felt a figure looming over him.

“It’s about time you stepped up.” Kevin says, dropping perhaps the only nutritious snack available, into Neil’s lap. His expression is blank, but not even Kevin Day can hide the pride and mirth in his eyes. Sulking back to the pump where Andrew was, Kevin tossed him a bag of “vegetable chips” at Andrew’s chest. Neil stared after him before rising to his feet. 

Maybe some day he’d discover every layer of Kevin Day, but for now, he would settle and call him complex.


	2. Atlanta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neil Josten has had his share of terrible ideas in his lifetime, but perhaps his worst was a road trip with Kevin Day and Andrew Minyard. (Basically the trio go on a road trip to visit the teams interested in drafting Kevin, but each of them learn what’s holding them back from pursuing their futures as professional Exy players)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow hey so here’s the first chapter? The last one was more of an introduction. I am so freaking excited to post this. Don't expect chapters to be posted as quickly as they were today? I wrote the prologue a few days ago and had posted it to tumblr, this one was finished up and edited today! I'm not that quick of a writer, I just want to make that known lol. Also I want to note that I’m very aware that I haven’t featured Andrew as much (yet) but I plan on changing that soon. He’ll become a much bigger factor in Miami. As always, I want to remind all of you this is just an AU. These professional teams aren’t confirmed by Nora. Also just for dramatic flair, the trio are drafted within the same year in this AU. Obviously that’s impossible within the real aftg universe.
> 
> That’s all I’ve got for now? If you like the fic, let me know because I like knowing people are actually reading my material? Anyways, ENJOY!

When Neil woke up, he was being carried, bridal style, into a hotel room by Andrew. The drive to Atlanta was a particularly short one, but the auburn haired boy had experienced an unusual amount of exhaustion. Maybe it was the fact Exy had only ended a few weeks prior, or that finals had Neil cramming to secure his last grades at Palmetto State. Pressing his cheek to Andrew’s chest, he glanced up at the boy to see the same drowsy look in his eyes.

Kevin, who was hanging back with a trolly full of their luggage, steps forward to swipe their room card for Andrew. Once the door was open, the two boys were left to gape at their room situation. Neil finally craned his neck to get a look for himself.

One queen sized bed, for three individuals who were not likely to snuggle up.

“Put me down.” Neil mumbles, barely coherent. Andrew carries him into the room before setting him down on the bed gingerly.

“Kevin, sleep on the floor.”

“Are you expected to go in tomorrow and work out with a professional Exy team? You sleep on the floor, Andrew.”

“There’s enough room on the bed for both of you idiots.” Neil mutters, really just hoping they could end this conversation all together and turn off the lights. It must have worked because there’s a long pause that hangs in the air as the older boys consider Neil’s suggestion.

Finally, Andrew is taking off Neil’s shoes and tucking him under the covers. Kevin changed into something more comfortable to sleep in, and they wait until they’re sure Neil is asleep before they speak to each other.

“We can’t tell Atlanta he’s here. They’ll want him to come train with me.”

Andrew doesn’t respond, but he does offer Kevin a quizzical look.

“If they see him practice, they’ll draft him. He shouldn’t go to a team like Atlanta. He’ll be injured before he can even make Court. It’s too much of a gamble, so tomorrow morning you should take him around town.”

“What if he asks about you?”

Kevin pauses to shoot a look at Neil’s sleeping figure. Protecting Neil was a top priority for Kevin, especially with the knowledge that Neil Josten could, and will be a star Exy player in the near future. All the effort he had spent on training Neil wouldn’t go to waste, he was sure of it.

“Ignore him. I’ll deal with him.”

This is good enough for Andrew but he pauses before he speaks again. “I talked to Miami.”

Kevin’s eyes flicker back to Andrew, and for a moment he’s stunned. There were two things he hadn’t expected. The first would be Andrew’s interest in continuing his Exy career, the second was Andrew ever starting a subject about Exy. Kevin was about to combust.

“Yeah? What’d they say? Miami is a perfect fit for you.”

Andrew scoffs, peering down at Neil to avoid Kevin’s excitement. The whole draft situation was completely terrifying for Andrew. Sure he didn’t have to sign a contract, he could walk away if he wanted. But if he did sign a contract, he could potentially end up somewhere without Neil. Who would keep an eye on him? The kid was a mess, after all.

“Andrew.”

“Shut up.”

Kevin crawls into bed, on the other side of Neil. They sit in silence for a few beats before Kevin finally takes a deep breath.

“Look, whatever you do, be smart about it.” The older boy says softly, not expecting any kind of response from Andrew. Lecturing Andrew on Exy was a lot like talking to a brick wall. There was no getting through to him, especially if he made up his mind. The way Andrew was gazing at Neil, implied he was already constructing his own plan. Kevin took this opportunity to shut off the lights and tuck himself under the covers. He was almost asleep when he heard Andrew speak up again.

“Can’t leave him.”

“I know. We can figure it out.”

“Kevin Day, it’s so great to finally meet you.“

Kevin wore his press-friendly smile as he shook hands with Coach Martin Handler. Handler was a man in his late forties, but his year with Atlanta looked as if it aged him quite a bit. While Coach Handler was friendly and seemingly upbeat, he looked as if he was aware that his days with Atlanta were numbered.

“Great to meet you too, Coach. Impressive stadium too, bet it’s even more breath-taking when this place is packed.”

Handler wore a weary smile as the two stood in the middle of the court. This facility was maybe a year or two old, the red and white detailing was still as vivid as ever. Kevin remembered the controversy surrounding the news of a brand new stadium. Atlanta’s team was still one of the youngest in the sport and their old stadium would have sufficed. So when the owner of the Atlanta Cyclones announced they would drop almost a billion dollars on a fresh stadium, fans were definitely confused.

"Well if we can land a superstar like you, I’m sure these seats wouldn’t be hard to fill.” Handler pointed out, which may have caused Kevin to flinch. A new stadium meant absolutely nothing to him. All that mattered was the team behind him, and the Cyclones were barely considered a team.

Kevin decided not to respond, but to take in his surroundings and gaze up at the seemingly endless rows of seats. After a few beats of silence, he heard a loud door slam from somewhere behind him. Spinning around on his heel, Kevin caught the eye of the man who could end his career. Cecil Cook, the owner, president and general manager of the Cyclones, waltzed onto the court to greet the star prospect

"You look like a man who could pull off ruby red!” Cecil says with a hearty laugh. Kevin politely laughs along, and they shake hands. Cecil is in his mid-seventies and if it weren’t for his large ego and Versace suits, one might mistake him for a sweet old grandfather.

“It would be a nice change from neon orange, I have to admit.” Kevin says, although it’s from gritted teeth. It was half of the truth, the heinous Palmetto State orange still felt like an upgrade from the Cyclones uniform but for different reasons.

“I like you. Tremendous couple of years at Palmetto State! Who knew one player could impact a team the way you did! We need man like you in Atlanta.” Cecil booms, clapping a hand on Kevin’s shoulder and giving him a shake like they were old friend.

“Cecil’s right, not just anyone can transform a team the way you did.” Handler says, although he receives a glower from Cecil for interrupting. Kevin clears his throat to ease the sudden tension in the room.

"You have to give the team more credit than that. The foxes were very talented. All they needed was a push. Each player on my team played to their potential, that’s how we snagged two championships. Hard work and perseverance from every player on the floor.” Kevin explains, downplaying his role with the foxes. Cecil must have caught on, because the look he gave Kevin was incredibly intimidating.

“You did more than that. Give yourself more credit.” This sounded less reassuring and more like a command. Cecil was aware of Kevin’s games, it seemed in the short minutes they got to know each other, Cecil already had a solid read on Kevin. All three of the men on the floor were aware that Kevin didn’t want to play in Atlanta. None of them, however, would dare to bring it up.

“Now then, let’s give you a proper tour, show you what you’d expect if you came to play for us.” Cecil announced, suddenly chipper as can be. He guided Kevin off of the court, leaving Coach Handler to prep the floor for upcoming practices.

The walk to the elevator was awkward, to say the least, but Cecil did his best to ask Kevin as many personal questions as he could manage. Most of the content was regarding college and what Kevin had studied while he was in school. The two remained amiable until they were in the confines of the elevator.

“Kevin, I’m not sure what you’ve heard about this program. The kids these days are getting information and news from internet sources and a lot of it can be skewed or fabricated. You may not want to be drafted by us, but frankly, I don’t care. We need someone like you, on our team, to motivate our players. We will do everything in our power to obtain you, if that means trading players for draft positions, so be it. We refuse to allow a player like yourself to slip through the cracks. I just thought I’d prepare you for what’s to come.”

The elevator doors opened slowly, and Cecil stepped out. He began to walk off, unaware that Kevin was paralyzed in the elevator behind him. Kevin’s knees had locked out, his mouth was dry. Just like that, his entire career flashed before his eyes.

He would be a professional Exy player, sure, but his career would be cut in half by multiple injuries. Eventually he would be sidelined for the next hotshot striker, and would be referred to as “the best that never was”.

Kevin finally stumbled out of the elevator, his heart still pounding in his chest. Cecil appeared unfazed by the whole ordeal, beaming ear to ear as he babbled on about the state of the art weight training facilities.

Everything he said was muffled by the pounding in Kevin’s ears. His vision was blurry, and if it weren’t for the support of the wall, he figured he might pass out. This felt like a familiar situation. Cecil Cook was a familiar villain.

Kevin shut his eyes for a second and he pictured his foxes. He pictured the team that he wished he never had to leave. The team that won him his first championship at Palmetto State. Then he thought of Neil and Andrew and the nights they spent practicing together. The two best friends he had ever made, the boys who stuck by his side after his rough breakup with Thea and all his panic attacks.

Suddenly he was breathing again, his balance had come back and any weakness he had felt before was diminishing. Blinking back into focus, Cecil was at his side, coaxing him to stand. Kevin naturally flinches from his touch but offers an apologetic smile.

“Sorry, I forgot to eat this morning.” He lies, but Cecil believes him this time.

“Did you? Well that’s quite alright! The coaching staff is enjoying brunch in the banquet hall today! We can join them after the tour. Until then, do you think you can press on?”

Kevin nods in response, which causes an eerie grin from Cecil.

“Fantastic. Now where was I? Oh right! Brand new equipment, and each player is assigned a trainer..” Cecil rambles on but Kevin starts to tune him out. The hall they’re in has large photos of the Cyclones’ lineup plastered on the wall. Kevin recognizes a few former Ravens, but most of them are much older and injury stricken. The other side of the hall features a glass wall that gives him a view of downtown Atlanta.

When Cecil finally pauses to open the door to the equipment room, he realizes that Kevin is gaping at the view.

“Incredible isn’t it? Atlanta certainly is larger than life.”

“Wonderful.” Kevin responds. “Can’t imagine playing anywhere else.”

-

Neil sinks into a chair on the balcony, holding his hand out for a cigarette out of instinct. Andrew hands one over and lights it without a word, and the two blow smoke into the humid summer air.

“That was the biggest fucking whale I’ve seen in my life.” Neil remarks, propping his feet up on the wrought iron railing.

“You’ve met a lot of whales in your past?”

Neil blows more smoke in Andrew’s direction, which causes a glare from his boyfriend. All of it is playful of course. They had come from the aquarium downtown which proved to be a lot more entertaining than either of them had thought it would be.

“You had fun today, didn’t you?” Neil quips, now letting his cigarette dangle from his finger tips. Andrew just shrugs, which could probably be seen as more of a yes than a no.

“It was crowded. And you ran off a lot. If it were up to me I would keep you on one of those child leashes.” Andrew deadpanned. This caused almost a snort from Neil, who knew he might have been a little too eager at the aquarium. Who could blame him, really? There was a lot to see and he missed out on experiences like this when he was a child.

“Andrew I saw the way you looked at the baby penguins.” Neil points out after he’s calmed down.

“Fuck you.”

“I never knew you had such a weakness for baby animals.”

“276%, Josten. Keep it up and you’re sleeping on the floor.”

Neil chews on the inside of his cheek to avoid another smart remark. After a few beats of silence, Neil realizes quickly that he hasn’t told Andrew about his meeting in San Francisco.

“I called the coach at San Francisco. Kevin said I should, since we’ll be over there. I figured I had nothing to lose.”

Andrew doesn’t respond, but Neil knows he’s listening. Neil knows better than to bring up Exy around Andrew once their season is over, but he didn’t want to keep this from his boyfriend. While they both did their best to avoid conversations about the future, it was becoming much more difficult as the draft approached.

“It sounds like they really want me, Andrew. They called me a striker they’d build a team around.”

Andrew puts his cigarette out, avoiding Neil’s eye contact. He clearly doesn’t feel the need to respond, but this only makes Neil more upset. Getting up from his seat, he moves in front of Andrew, leaning against the rail to block his view.

“This is a conversation you know.”

“San Francisco seems nice.” Was all Andrew could manage, his jaw clenching. Neil let out a sigh, fingers pushing through his auburn locks.

“Yeah but the draft predictions put you in Miami.”

“Fuck Miami.” Andrew scoffs, trying to remain as detached from the conversation as possible.

“Andrew.”

The blond rises from his seat, placing his hands on either side of Neil. The taller boy knows what Andrew is going to ask so he just nods before he gets the chance. Their mouths slam together as they try to forget their conversation. Andrew moves Neil’s hands to his hair, and Neil wastes no time give it a pull. The two of them kiss as if it’s their last, tugging at each other and craving to be close. They don’t part until they’re completely out of breath. Panting, Neil slumps against the railing, gazing down at Andrew with a defeated look in his eyes.

“If you throw your career away for me, I won’t forgive you.”

“Don’t be dramatic.”

The two glare at each other until they hear the sliding door open behind Andrew. Kevin steps out and slumps into the chair Neil had occupied, too exhausted to comment on the obvious tension between the boys.

“I can’t wait to get out of here.” Kevin grumbles, his eyes fluttering shut for a moment. Andrew pulls away from Neil and the balcony to find his seat again.

“You look like hell.”

“Thanks, Andrew. That’s exactly want I wanted to hear.”

Neil chuckles at the exchange, turning to face the city, elbows on the rail. “Was the court nice?”

“It was beautiful, looked brand new. The gym was also fully equipped with the most expensive machines I’ve seen.” Kevin hums. The three boys bask in silence for a few moments and Andrew lights another cigarette.

Each boy considers their future without each other. A future that consists of new teammates, drastic changes in game plans, different drills and all around adjustment. It scares each of them in different ways, but none of them would bother confessing that. Kevin gazes at his friends before he speaks up.

“This morning I realized how much I’ll miss you losers.”

Neil looks over his shoulder at Kevin, a coy grin on his lips.

“You’ll see us. You’ll see me as I wipe the floor with your ass during our first matchup.”

Andrew tosses his cigarette over the edge and rises to his feet. Without a word he makes his way inside, shutting the glass door behind him. The remaining foxes exchange a look before Neil takes Andrew’s seat.

“You missed an argument between us.”

“I caught onto that, yeah.”

Neil smiles weakly, he should have known Kevin had picked up on their tension. He’d been around boys too long to not realize when there was trouble in paradise. Kevin rests his chin in his palm as he chooses his next words carefully.

“Atlanta told me today that they would trade up to get the first pick in the draft. They really seem to want me.”

Neil furrows his eyebrows, thinking back to their conversation where Kevin basically called the franchise a graveyard for Exy careers. Before he could respond, Kevin took a breath.

“I spent all my life preparing for this, preparing to be a professional and to make court. It took me a full year before I could heal and play Exy again,” Kevin pauses, clenching his jaw for a moment. He wouldn’t cry, because that wasn’t how he dealt with his emotions. He considered, however, grabbing his stick and running drills out by the poolside. Kevin fights this because the only other person that could grasp his intensity about Exy, was Neil. The two of them wanted these opportunities for very different reasons, but shared an equal drive. Neil could sympathize. 

“You spend a year healing and you realize how much you need the sport. I have built my life around Exy. There’s no way in hell I could do that again. I understand that I’ll get injured as a Pro, it’s inevitable. But I foresee a career full of injuries in Atlanta and I just... I can’t do it Neil. I need to find a way out of this.” Kevin shoots Neil a fleeting look, and the other boy can’t help but feel a pang in his chest. 

As Kevin guessed, Neil understood exactly what it was like to restrained by injuries, while his breaks from Exy hadn’t been long, he was always anxious to return. The way Kevin had looked at him, there was an expression there that Neil had never seen on him before. A look of desperation. Kevin wouldn’t admit to this, and he would never ask for help, but Neil knew that’s exactly what he needed.

“Then don’t get drafted by Atlanta.”

Kevin responds with a curt and humorless laugh. “Problem solved.” He snapped, sinking further into his chair.

“No seriously. Make the other teams want you more. If you perform well in Tampa, Miami, and San Diego, they’ll realize how special you are and Atlanta won’t stand a chance. If San Diego is impressed, they’ll require a lot of trade requirements for the number one pick. There’s a chance they won’t trade at all. If you factor in Tampa and Miami, the bidding war becomes tighter, especially since those teams have more assets to trade with.”

Kevin doesn’t respond but it’s clear the gears are turning in his head, as if he’s taking Neil’s suggestion into consideration. It wasn’t a bad plan, by any means. It seemed crazy enough to work, but there was high risk involved no matter what he did. Kevin’s eyes flickered to meet Neil’s and his expression softened. 

“This better work.”

“Have I ever let you down before?”

This caused a scoff from Kevin, but an amused one at that. He couldn’t exactly pinpoint a time when Neil flat out disappointed him. Not to mention, Neil could scheme like no one else, given his history. Rising to his feet, the auburn haired boy stretched his arms above his head, revealing a sliver of his stomach where his shirt rose up. 

“I’m going to deal with my moody boyfriend. I suggest you wait at least five minutes before you come join us. I’m not proud of the tactics I use.” With that, Neil reentered the suite, leaving Kevin to his thoughts. 

This was a huge gamble, but perhaps spending more time in Florida would increase his chances of avoiding an undesirable team. Evaluating his options, Miami wasn’t an awful team. Sure, they were in the midst of rebuilding, but the had a strong defense behind them. Not to mention, the likelihood of Andrew joining him in Miami was appealing. Tampa was almost as big of a trainwreck as Atlanta, but they too, were rebuilding a team that had fallen apart due to aging and injury. 

Then there was San Diego. The team that was making enormous changes and incredible strides to achieve a winning season. They hired a brand new coaching staff, made headline-making trades to achieve the toughest defense in the league (including Fox alumni Matt Boyd), and they stood a chance at becoming a dynasty. That was they type of team Kevin Day needed behind him. If all failed, San Diego was his final hope. 

It was then and there, Kevin Day decided that nothing would fail. He had come from injury, oppression, and a seemingly hopeless team but rose above all of this to become one of the strongest players in the league. San Diego would fall in love with him, and Atlanta wouldn’t so much as touch him. He was sure of it.


End file.
